Thanks For Everything
by SupahStarmon
Summary: Other Genres: Family Nico contracts a terminal illness. So, she lives the rest of her life with the people she loves most: her friends and family.
1. Chapter 1

Nico and her mother sat in a small office, waiting for the doctor to come. After some tests, she was told to wait.

"You have a terminal illness."

The delivery of her condition shocked her mother and herself.

"We couldn't find any ways to cure it, I'm sorry. It developed quickly, but it seems it was undetected."

Both she and her mother's eyes were tearing up at this information.

"You only had these symptoms today?"

She nodded. When she got home, Nico experienced a sharp pain in her chest. When she coughed, a small amount of blood came out. Nico immediately called her mother and they quickly went to the hospital.

"Again, I'm sorry." The red headed doctor told her. Nico didn't want to accept this fate, but…

"It's okay. But…are you sure it's terminal?" Nico was desperate to know, which was evident in her voice.

The doctor nodded. "Yes, it seems to have affected your heart."

"And there is nothing I can do about it?"

Again, the doctor shook her head. "The only way to delay it is to not exert yourself with physical activity."

"You can't keep her alive?!" Nico's mother bursted out.

"I wouldn't recommend it. If we were to put her on life support, it would delay it by a month and a half, at most."

Nico's mother looked at her devastated daughter.

The doctor was visibly anxious and sad. "I'm sorry, but I wouldn't want to put a burden on you financially."

Nico's mother tried to speak, most likely to argue again. However, Nico stopped her. "Mom, she's right." Nico hated seeing her mother so sad, especially since she promised to always be happy after her father's death. But, the doctor was right. "I know it's sad, but…it's life…right?"

Nico tried to be strong, but she broke down, as did her mother. They hugged each other tightly as they cried. The doctor was staying strong, but she was still shaken by the sight.

"I would like to mention," the doctor said as the two released their hug. "The symptoms happen erratically, as the disease seemed to occur about a month ago. However, I believe that the symptoms will occur often during the middle of next week."

Nico realized one key detail. "You didn't say. How long do I have left?"

"Until the end of this month."

It hit Nico hard, as it did to her mother.

"Could I recommend something?" The doctor felt a bit out of line to ask, but Nico hesitantly nodded her head. "Since it is Thursday, I think it is best to have the weekend as a time to spend with your friends and family. When Monday comes," the doctor turned to Nico's mother. "Drop her out of school. She should stay here for the rest of her time, with occasional times to go outside and do activities."

"I-I can't keep being an idol, can I?" Nico asked. She knew the answer, but she wanted confirmation.

"No, unfortunately. Doing that would cause more harm to your body. The most you can do is walk around."

Nico nodded. The doctor told her everything, despite her hatred towards it.

"That is all of the information I had. I'm very sorry." The doctor apologized again.

Nico shook her head. "It's-It's okay, doctor." She was obviously depressed, however she wanted to keep her tough demeanor. If only just to comfort her mother and siblings.

"Do you have any more questions?" The doctor asked timidly.

Nico's mother didn't say a lot, as she was still in shock that her daughter would be going away soon. Nico stayed strong, despite how hard it was.

Nico did have one question.

"You are Maki's mother, right?"

The doctor sighed. "Yes, it was obvious."

Nico laughed quietly. "It was. Having 'Nishikino Hospital' in bright lights was a bit obvious."

Maki's mother was surprised at how light-hearted Nico was being during this tragic time. However, she smiled.

"Could you…" Nico had trouble saying her words, with how nervous she was being. "Could you not tell her?"

Maki's mother was confused at this request. "Yes, although I never planned to tell her. What is the reason, Nico?"

"I-I kind of like her." Nico blushed. "I wouldn't want to burden her with this. Any of my friends, really. I want to tell them when it is closer to the end."

Maki's mother's heart was warmed by this. She was happy that Maki could have so many friends and a person who likes her so much. "Of course, Nico."

"Thank you, Nishikino-san." Nico was happy that Maki's mother was so nice.

"Anything else?" Maki's mother asked.

"Mom?" Nico asked her mom. However, she didn't look confident enough to say anything. "No, thank you."

"Oh!" Maki's mother remembered. "Nico, could you add my contact information to your phone? I can't assure that I will respond immediately, but I will try to text or call back when I can. I do this for all of my patients. If you do, I just would like if you could do it when it is an emergency. Smaller things are okay, but I would want to know if you are in need."

"O-okay!" Nico quickly got her phone out and took down the information. "Thank you for everything, Nishikino-san. Please take care of me." She bowed, as did her mother.

"I will, Nico." Maki's mother smiled. The two of them left, which left Maki's mother alone. She was thankful that there weren't too many patients that were in dire need.

* * *

 _Yazawa POV:_

Nico and her mother got into the car. Nico buckled up, but she saw how distressed her mother was. "Mom, please calm down. We still need to get home for Cocoa, Cocoro, and Cotaro."

"I'm sorry." Nico's mother sniffled. "But…I'm losing you. I'm losing another person that's so close to me!" Nico's mother cried as she embraced Nico.

She couldn't contain her tears. Her strong will was broken by her mother's sadness. "I know! I'm going to miss you! I love you, mom!"

"I'm going to miss you too, Nico! I love you!" Nico's mother cried harder, as did Nico.

It was settling in Nico's mind. She only had a few weeks to live her life. Only the weekend to be with her friends for a long while. To be with her family.

The two stayed like that for a while. As they stopped, Nico's mother kissed Nico on her forehead. "I love you, Nico."

"I love you too, mom."

* * *

 _Nishikino POV:_

Maki's mother came home exhausted. She had a few more things to do at the hospital, which tired her out.

"Hello, mother." Maki greeted her as she sat on a sofa.

"Hello, Maki. How was school?" She asked.

"It was fine. How were things at the hospital?" Maki answered and then questioned.

Maki's mother remembered Nico. One of Maki's friends. A girl that likes, and maybe even loves Maki. She wanted to tell Maki about Nico's condition. But, she remembered Nico's request.

" _I want to tell them when it is closer to the end."_

"Nothing too unexpected at a hospital, dear." Maki's mother answered.

"Okay. I have some more homework to do. Excuse me." Maki bowed.

It was painful to not tell Maki about her friend. But, she stayed true to her word.

* * *

A/N: First tragedy fic I will be writing. Expect chapters every 1-2 days. This is going to be a short one, probably. If 10 or less chapters is considered short. I might even have more than 10, we'll see.

Some context: Nico has grown to be one of my best girls of Muse. I also ship Nico and Maki pretty hard, so I wanted it to have a small revolve around these two. However, it will be centered around Nico and the rest of Muse.

Please leave reviews to tell me how I did for this first chapter. If you like this, leave favourites/follows.

Thanks for Reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Review Responses:

Aethuran: Glad the onions didn't strike. I'm happy that this story gives actual emotions!

YayaSamuko: I'm glad you are going to stick with this story! I read some of your stories, and I thought they were good!

Guest: Yeah, I've been writing different POV's like that for a bit. I just like seeing the perspective. But, glad you're intrigued!

* * *

Friday rolled around, and the school day quickly went. It was to Nico's delight and displeasure. It seemed too fast since she only had a couple of weeks to live. She didn't have any symptoms, as Dr. Nishikino told her, so she had a small victory. She wanted to savour the rest of her days, and not be holed up in school.

Nico, being the optimist, was in delight because she didn't have to focus on school anymore. She was going to drop out, so all of this information would be pointless to have.

It seemed like a stupid reason, but when you don't have much time to live, you usually look for anything that could make you happy.

Another thing that would make her happy; idol practice.

She was going to follow Dr. Nishikino's advice and not practice, despite her urge to go and join them.

Thinking about it more, she felt so guilty. She shouldn't have; the disease wasn't anyone's fault. It just so happened to affect Nico, and would make her leave this world. The reason she felt guilty was because of how it would affect her eight friends.

' _Honoka made this club. It helped me make more friends, and fulfill my dream of being an idol. And because of this stupid disease, I'm basically disbanding it. I hope that they can all forgive me of being so selfish. Honoka, Kotori, Umi, Hanayo, Rin, Eli, Nozomi, Maki. I'm so sorry.'_

"-co? Nico?" Eli startled the girl in her deep thoughts. "Come on! Aren't you going to join us?"

Nico smiled. "Sorry, I'm not feeling too well."

Honoka saw Eli going to urge Nico, so she intervened. "Come on, Eli-chan! If Nico-chan isn't feeling good, let's leave her be." Honoka smiled at her as she put a thumbs up. Nico smiled back.

"Nicochi," Nozomi said. "Are you sure you want to stay here? You don't want to go home?"

Thankfully, Nico planned for this. "No. After practice, I want to go and do some stuff with all of you! Just for a bit!"

"Ooh. Sounds fun, nya!" Rin said enthusiastically.

"That does sound fun." Umi said. "Are we all fine with that?"

Everyone nodded their heads, which delighted Nico.

…

Practice was finished, and the nine girls were walking around. Since it was Nico's suggestion, she was the one to plan out the rest of the day. She wasn't feeling too tired yet, so she was happy to go with her friends.

They were feeling hungry, so they went to their favourite burger place. Honoka, Eli, and Hanayo went and got everyone's orders while the six others went and talked.

Nico struggled to talk about anything since her head was clouded by the thoughts of her disease. Instead, she chimed in on any conversation she found interesting.

"How were classes?" Umi asked the girls.

"They were good!" Rin said happily. "Kayo-chin spoke too quietly, nya. She stopped doing that once Muse started, but it was funny to hear again!"

"Rin, don't embarrass her." Maki sternly said to her fellow classmate.

"Well, class for us was boring." Nozomi answered for the third years. "Elichi and I got notes, but Nicochi looked like she was slacking." Nozomi grinned.

"Nozomi!" Nico said. "It's not my fault that class is so boring!"

"Tsk, tsk. Nico-chan, you have to be smart to graduate." Maki said bluntly.

"An idol doesn't need to know about algebra!" Nico complained to her table.

She was happy that her excuse worked. She didn't want to tell them the real reason. At least not yet.

"Besides, I was hungry. Speaking of which…" Nico turned her head to see Honoka, Eli, and Hanayo approaching their table with burgers and fries.

They set the trays down and took their seats.

"Let's eat!" The nine of them said.

Their burger meal was good. There were some conversations peppered in the meal, and it was enjoyable to everyone.

Nico was happy that everyone was so positive. She thought about how much her death would affect the girls.

' _I wasn't the glue that held them together, Honoka is. But, I'm sure that they'll miss me. I just don't want them to think too much about me. I want them to live their lives, and just have me as a small part of their mind.'_

The girls finished eating, all satisfied.

"What's next, Nico-chan?" Kotori asked.

Nico had a good idea of where to go. "Come on, follow me!"

…

"A clothing store? Do you need some new clothes, Nicochi?" Nozomi asked.

"Uhh, yeah!" Nico still didn't reveal her condition, but she did want to get some clothes. Even if they would be pointless in the end. Her mother gave her a good amount of money to spend on whatever she wanted.

It gave her an idea. Instead of buying things for herself…

"Hey! I have some money. Everyone, get one thing they want and I'll buy it for you!"

The eight girls were confused, but somewhat happy.

"You're going to buy things for us? With your money, nya?" Rin asked.

Nico nodded. "Think of it as…an early birthday present!"

"That's awfully nice of you, Nico-chan." Maki said. Nico could have sworn she saw a blush on Maki's face. But, maybe she was hallucinating the sight since all of them were blushing.

"Nothing too expensive though! Although…if Maki wants to spoil us even more…" Nico suggested.

Maki sighed. "And there goes the niceness." The girls laughed at Nico and Maki's exchange.

They entered the store. It was pretty big, but the fanciness wasn't too pronounced.

"Hi there! We have some deals going on right now, mostly on accessories. Please enjoy yourselves!"

The saleslady left them and Nico cleared her throat. "Well, like she said. Enjoy yourselves! Remember, just one thing for each of you!"

The girls wandered around the store. Nico told them to meet at the registers with their choices. It took about 30 minutes; however, Nico was still feeling fine. _'I guess Dr. Nishikino was right. Those symptoms seem sporadic.'_

The girls gathered around Nico, who was sitting on a small seat.

"Let's go around, I want to see what I'm getting myself into." Nico said.

Hanayo laughed at Nico's comment. She showed off her shirt. "I like this one, and it's not that expensive."

Nico laughed at Hanayo's choice. "Is it because there's a bowl on rice on it?"

Hanayo blushed after being found out. "Y-yes." The group of girls laughed at Hanayo's shyness.

"That's fine, Hanayo. How about you, Maki?"

Maki held up a small jewelry box. Nico sighed and her face had an unamused expression. "What? It's just a silver ring. It's not that much."

Nico wasn't buying it. "Does it cost as much as Hanayo's shirt?"

Maki blushed this time. "N-no. It was one on sale!"

"Alright. But if it goes over, you help me pay." Maki did her normal habit of twirling her hair as she looked away from Nico. "Okay, Nozomi?"

A sun hat was covering her face. "It's starting to get warm. I don't like the sun in my eyes, so I figure this would be good. Especially since Nicochi is paying!" The group laughed.

"You make a good point, Nozomi. What about…Eli?"

The blonde held up a pair of ballet slippers. "I've been thinking that I want to practice more ballet. I won't burden Nico with the whole get-up."

"Thank you, Eli. Rin, how about you?"

Rin held up a cute sundress. It was light blue, and had small cat paws on it. "It's so cute, nya! Right, Nico-chin?!"

Nico nodded. "Yeah, Rin! It fits you well. Umi?"

Umi's choice was simple. "Socks? Are you sure, Umi-chan?" Rin asked.

Umi nodded. "Yes, I might as well get something that is practical." Umi realized her word choice. "N-not that yours aren't practical!"

"What?" The group questioned. No one seemed to care about Umi's word choice, just about Umi's clothing choice.

"Sure, Umi. Next…Honoka!"

Honoka's hand was covered up by ribbons. "These were on sale, and I could use some more! Just having a few colours were boring to put in my hair. So, I mixed it up!" The ribbons varied in colours and designs. "I like this one the best!" It was a red ribbon with small white polka dots.

"I like that, Honoka!" Nico put her thumbs up. "Last, Kotori!"

A small bag was being held. "I have my school bag, but it's kind of crowded with all of the things for costumes. So, a having this would help a lot!"

Nico had a pained smile, but it was undetected by the others. "Great! Let's buy it!"

"How about you, Nico?" Eli asked. "It is your money, after all."

Nico shook her head. "I have plenty of stuff. And it's nice to spoil you girls."

Maki was a bit skeptical. "Why do you want to spoil us?"

Nico sighed. "Maki, do you always have to be a downer?" Maki blushed, much to Nico's happiness. The others laughed.

As they were checking out the items, Kotori's choice plagued Nico's mind.

' _Kotori always had to measure us for our outfits. How crushed will she be…since she won't be able to do that for me anymore?'_

The price was under Nico's amount of money, much to her satisfaction. As expected, the silver ring that was on sale was still the most expensive item.

After Nico paid, she grabbed the bags.

"Nicochi, wat about our stuff?" Nozomi asked.

"Hey, I said it was a birthday present. You can't have it until I wrap it!" Nico responded.

The eight girls sighed. "Well, anything else Nico-chan?" Honoka asked.

Nico saw that she had enough money for one more thing for the girls. "Yeah, I'll spoil you guys some more!"

…

They reached the arcade, more specifically the crane game. "I will get you anything you guys want! I am the best at this!"

"Are you sure, Nico-chan?" Hanayo said innocently. "You don't have to do so much for us."

"Nonsense! Like I said, it's fun to spoil you all. Now, tell me what you want!"

The girls pointed out their picks, and Nico easily got all of the plushies.

Honoka got a smiling flower. Kotori got a bird. Umi got a fish. Maki got a tomato. Hanayo got an alpaca. Rin got a cat head. Eli got an ice cream cone. And Nozomi got a starfish.

"I'll let you keep those ones. Oh, the time!" It was 5:30. "I need to get home for my siblings! Bye girls!" Nico said as she walked away, with bags in hand.

The eight others were happy, but confused.

"I wonder why she got this for us." Rin said.

"Who knows, Rin-chan. Nicochi is always weird." Nozomi responded as the others laughed. They all left with their plushies in their hands.

* * *

A/N: Nico being a good friend.

Small reference; the ribbon that Honoka liked was like the one Chiyo had from Gekkan Shojo Nozaki-Kun. Chiyo is one of my favourite characters because she is so cute and helpful. Just wanted to say that.

Anyways, leave reviews! And follow/favourite if you would like.

Thanks for Reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Review Responses:

Aethuran: I'm so glad you like it! I'm happy that my writing is well-made in the eyes of viewers, and can help put a different light on characters. Thanks for the kind words!

YayaSamuko: The love that Nico shows them is a bit tragic, huh. Guess it makes sense. As for Honoka and Nozomi, you might be a bit disappointed. However, I think I reflected them well. Glad you're going to stick around!

* * *

Nico's whole family was going to be home on Saturday, so she had an idea of what she wanted to do.

"Mom. Could all of us go out and have a family day?" Nico asked her mother.

Nico's mother was alerted by her daughter. She was still depressed because of Nico's impending death. She was also stressed because having Nico's funeral would put a strain on their finances. However, she couldn't say no to Nico's wishes. "Alright. What would you like to do, Nico?"

Nico had the whole day planned out, and she was sure to stick with it.

"Let's go to the park!"

…

After getting her siblings ready, the five of them drove to the nearby park. The field was open, so Cocoa and Cocoro started to play. Cotaro stayed by Nico, but the two eventually joined their sisters and played.

"Nico, be careful!" Nico's mother was cautious about Nico's health. She wanted to spend a lot of time with her daughter, so she was afraid of letting her be active. Dr. Nishikino said that it would be best for Nico to rest.

"Mom, I'll be fine." Nico walked up to her mother. She knelt down to meet her mother eye-to-eye. "I don't want you to worry so much. Please, be happy." Nico's eyes were tear-stained, but she had a smile on her face. "Nico will always bring you a _Nico Nico Smile!_ " Nico did her signature pose, which brought a smile on her mother's face. She was brought into a hug by her mother.

"I'm sorry. You're right, go and play! I love you." Nico's mother said.

"I love you too."

…

The kids were tired from playing, but mostly hungry.

"What about lunch, Nico?" Her mother asked.

"There's this diner I've wanted to go to. It would be nice to eat there as a family!" Nico told her mother.

"That sounds nice. It's just…I don't think I have enough money to treat you guys." Nico's mother looked sad. She couldn't give Nico what she wanted.

However, she became stumped when Nico shook her head. "Don't worry about that, mom. I have some money from Maki."

"Huh? Why?"

"Well, remember the money you gave me yesterday? Maki kinda owed me for buying something expensive. I'll pay for it."

"Nico, you don't have to do that for us. I want to treat you."

Nico shook her head again. "Mom, don't worry too much about me. I want to thank you. For being the best mom ever." She said with a smile.

She trusted her daughter. She was happy that Nico could be so happy in such a tragic time.

…

It was a small diner, but they found a seat for the five of them.

"I can afford all of this, so order what you want!" Nico told her family.

"Chicken fingers." Cotaro said.

"I want a burger." Cocoa told her sister.

"Can I get breakfast food, sister?" Cocoro asked.

Nico nodded at all of them. "Okay! How about you, mom?"

It didn't take too long for Nico's mother to choose. "I'll have some Salisbury steak. Sounds tasty. What about you, Nico?"

"Hmm…I think I'll get some breakfast too. I want some pancakes and eggs."

Fortunately, the waitress came as soon as they decided what to order. "Hey there! Would you- Nico?"

Nico's head perked up. "Eli? You work here?"

Eli started to blush. "Y-yeah. I wanted to have some work to have some money. W-what about it?"

Nico laughed. "Silly Eli. It's just interesting that you work here."

Eli laughed along with Nico. "Well, I do. Is this your family?" She looked around the table seeing similar looking children.

"Yeah, my two sisters, my brother, and my mom."

"Hello, Eli-san." Nico's mother put out a hand, which Eli shook.

"Hi, Yazawa-san." Eli bowed. "So, you guys ready to order?"

"Yup!"

…

Their lunch was satisfying, and Nico was happy to see one of her friends. After saying goodbye to Eli, the Yazawa family went back home. It was 3:00, so they had some time before dinner. However, on the way back Nico suggested something.

"Hey mom, could you cook for dinner today?" Nico requested.

"Really? You don't want to go out to eat?" her mother asked.

"Nope! I want to have some of your cooking. I learned from the best."

Hearing Nico's compliment made her realize that she raised Nico well. And that she was so happy to have Nico as a daughter. "Okay, let's go grocery shopping!"

The kids in the back cheered, which brought a smile to Nico and her mother.

…

"That was great!" Nico said to her mother. The five of them finished dinner and were relaxing in the living room.

"Thank you, Nico. Did you guys like it?" Nico's mother asked her other children. She was happy that they cheered.

"Umm, mom…should we tell them?" Nico had to get serious. "I think they need to know."

Her mother gulped. "Yes…yes, we have to tell them."

"Okay. Hey, can you guys come here?" Nico called out to her siblings. They all sat on the floor while Nico and her mother sat on the couch.

"We need to tell you something, and it's going to change our life. Okay?" Nico's mom told them. They nodded. "Nico…Nic-Ni…"

She couldn't say it. Nico's mother was too depressed to talk about Nico's disease. The fact that they would have one less person to take care of them.

"Mom, I'll tell them." Nico hugged her mother, assuring her that she's still there. "Your big sister Nico is going away soon."

"Why are you going away, sis?" Cocoro asked her.

"Well, I'm sick." Nico said.

"Can't you take medicine?" Cocoa told her.

"Medicine." Cotaro added.

Nico had to be strong in front of them, but she did have a tear in her eye. They were going to lose their sister. "No, it's a sickness that I can't cure. When I mean I'm 'going away…'"

Nico was struggling to say the words. However, she felt her mother's hand on her shoulder. She looked at her and saw the nod.

"I'll be going away forever." Nico finally said.

"Forever?" Cocoro said, confused. "You'll be here with us, right?"

Nico's walls were breaking down. Her tears were streaming. "N-no, Cocoro." Her voice cracked. "I won't. I'll be up there." She pointed at the ceiling.

"The room above us?" Cocoa asked innocently.

She shook her head.

Which Cocoro had a feeling.

"Nico…you…you don't mean…"

"Yes, Cocoro. I do mean that." Nico's tears were endless.

"No. NO! Nico, you can't leave us like that!" Cocoro pounded lightly on Nico's chest. The little girl didn't want to believe it. That her sister…is dying.

"I'm-I'm sorry, Cocoro." Nico hugged her as her tears fell. "You're going to have to be the big sister, okay?"

"I don't want to be the big sister! I want you as my big sister!" Cocoro said loudly.

"I know. I want to as well. But, I won't be able to."

Cocoa started to understand what Nico was saying. "No, Nico! Don't leave us!" Cocoa leapt into Nico's arms. "I don't want you to leave!"

"Cocoa, I don't want to either." She hugged all of her siblings tightly, with tears staining her face. "I'm going to miss all of you, so-so much!"

The house was filled with crying. Cotaro understood what was happening and started to cry as well. Nico's phone buzzed, but she didn't feel it. She was too busy being with her family. The one she will soon leave.

Somehow, Nico's mother calmed down her children. She knew that Nico had some more to say.

Tears still were staining her face. Tears also stained her sibling's faces. But, Nico had to control herself.

"Cocoro, you're going to be the big sister…when I'm g-gone. Okay?" Nico said sincerely. Cocoro only managed to nod her head. Nico patted her head and kissed it.

"Cocoa, Cotarto. You have to listen to what Cocoro says, okay?" Nico told her younger siblings, who silently nodded.

"We're going to have some fun tomorrow, okay?" Nico tried to say with positivity. However, her siblings' mood didn't shift. "Can you promise me to have as much fun as you can while I'm still here?"

Nico saw three pairs of eyes look up at her, all filled with tears. However, they all nodded. They all wanted to have fun with their sister. "Come here." Nico opened her arms and the three kids leapt into them as they started to cry again. Nico cried along with them. _'I'm going to miss you all…so much. I love you.'_

…

The three children cried themselves to sleep, and Nico and her mother brought them to their room. The two older women leaned on the doorframe. Nico felt her hand being held.

"We're all going to miss you, Nico." Her mother said, somehow steady.

"I hope you do. Because I love you all." Nico replied. She looked at her phone and a message was sent to her.

Maki's Mom:  
 _Hello, Nico?  
Please call me when you can._

"Mom, I need to call Dr. Nishikino." Nico told her mom, who nodded.

She brought up Dr. Nishikino's contact and called her.

"Hello, Dr. Nishikino?"

' _Ah, Nico. I assume you got my text?'_

"Yes, is something the matter?"

' _No, I have some good news for you. Maybe.'_

"I assume that it's not a cure for me?" Nico heard a sigh from the other side.

' _Sadly, no. However, it's more for your family.'_

"My family? What about them?"

' _I know that your…funeral…would be expensive.'_

"Are-Are you saying that you'll pay for my funeral?"

' _Yes. I would like to help my daughter's friend. If that's okay with you.'_

Nico couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Can-Can I tell my mom?"

' _That would help since she would be organizing the funeral. Yes, if you could.'_

"O-okay." Nico ran to her mother and told her about the news. Nico's mother couldn't believe how generous Dr. Nishikino was being. "She said it would be okay."

' _Good. I have something else.'_

"What is it?"

' _We have room in our house. If it's okay with your family, they can come and move in with us.'_

"Dr. Nishikino! You're being pretty generous. How are we going to repay you?"

' _Please, there's no need. Since you are close with Maki, I would like to help you and your family.'_

So, Nico told her mother who agreed. "Tha-That's great! Thank you, Nishikino-san!"

' _Please, it's okay. I've already talked to my husband about it. He is happy to take your family in as well. I will see you later, Nico.'_

"Goodbye, Dr. Nishikino."

Nico hung up the phone and both Nico and her mother were excited.

Nico could only think of one thing when she was celebrating with her mother.

' _I hope everyone's future will be okay with me gone.'_

* * *

A/N: Family day and some good news! However, it's mixed in with a heartbreaking talk.

I hope you are liking this so far. The chapters are finished, but I like to spread out the releases. I hope you understand.

I'll put out a new chapter every day at ~8 am EST, right when I wake up.

Leave reviews and follow/favourite if you like this story.

Thanks for Reading!


	4. Chapter 4

Review Responses:

Aethuran: I feel you, the choice between fics and SIF is hard. Glad you almost cried, I guess. Emotion is powering through!

bobzity1: I'm sorry, but Nico is going to die. Just enjoy the time she has left, that's what she would want.

Lonely Hiruko: It was hard to write this story, but it is a tragedy for a reason. Glad you like this story.

Yousorowaifu: I'm glad you will still read this. Tragedy is out of my comfort zone, but I'm happy that people like this.

Moonwolf08: Glad you like it. Wishes...can't always be granted.

* * *

"Are you ready?" Nico asked her siblings enthusiastically. She had another whole day planned out to spend time with her siblings. She didn't get an answer. Instead, she looked at the sad kids in front of her. "Hey, hey. I asked you guys yesterday. Let's have fun while I'm here. Okay?"

She saw the pairs of eyes look at her and nod. She saw a smile on their faces. "Yeah!"

She was happy that her siblings could be happy. Even if it's just to make her happy. She knows it must be hard for them, and she loved them so much for it.

"Okay, we'll start with cooking." She brought three chairs up to the stove so the three could watch.

"We'll make some eggs. First, you crack them." She cracked an egg and flawlessly put it into a bowl. "Then, you mix it up." She beat the egg with chopsticks until it was pure yellow. "Who wants to try next?"

"Oh! Me!" Cocoro was quick to try. She imitated Nico's actions, however some of the shell got in the egg.

"Hey, slow down! The shell is dangerous to eat. If some falls in, you have to scoop it out." Nico used an egg shell to scoop out the broken shells which made her siblings watch in awe. "Okay Cocoro, now you can mix it."

She was interrupted by a cough. A series of coughs. And each cough…had blood.

"Mom!"

…

The whole family rushed to the Nishikino hospital. They couldn't take Nico's coughs lightly, especially with the blood.

Nico was rushed to a hospital room. She was taken for tests as her mother and siblings had to wait.

Nico woke up in a room that was unknown to her. There was a curtain, and some ways to call nurses. She deducted that she was in a hospital room. She heard Dr. Nishikino's voice.

"She's in here, do you need some chairs?" Dr. Nishikino asked the family.

"Yes, thank you." The chairs came quickly and Nico's family took their seats.

"Nico." Nico turned her head to Dr. Nishikino. "Your symptoms may start to happen more often. It seems like that the disease is taking over faster than expected."

"Will I pass at the same time you said?" Nico asked.

"It does not seem likely. It would most likely happen faster." Dr. Nishikino turned to Nico's mother. "Have you dropped her out of school yet?" She saw Nico's mother nod. "Good. I don't advise going back to school anymore. It would be best for you to stay here so we can treat you when you need help."

"That's fine, right mom?" She looked to her family. Her siblings were sad, and Nico could understand why. Their day of fun, spoiled by this awful disease. Thankfully, the disease wasn't contagious, it seemed to happen to a couple of people. So, her family was safe.

She saw her mother nod. "I will be in your care, Nishikino-san." Nico smiled at the doctor, who smiled back.

"I will be sure to take care of you. I'll leave you guys alone. Just call if you need something." She pulled the curtain to cover up the family.

"I'm sorry to worry you all." Nico said in a sad tone.

She saw Cocoro shake her head. "No, Nico! It's the disease's fault. Let's have some fun!" Nico was surprised with how positive her siblings were being. She knew that they would grow up to be great people.

"Alright! What should we do then?"

"Well, I asked Dr. Nishikino and she said it's okay!" Cocoro responded.

She saw a carton of eggs, and bowls. She saw the smiling faces on her entire family and couldn't help but smile along with them.

…

"Sorry, but visiting times are over." Dr. Nishikino walked to the Yazawa family.

"Aww!" All of Nico's siblings were sad, but they understood curfew. "Bye-bye, Nico!" They all went and hugged her.

"Goodnight, Nico." Her mother came up to Nico and kissed her on the forehead.

"Bye mom. Bye guys." Nico said before she instantly fell asleep. She had so much fun with her siblings and it tired her out quickly.

* * *

Nico woke up early in the morning. She felt okay, but she had a small pain. She decided to ring up a nurse or doctor. She told her about the small pain, which was tolerable so she said to the nurse that she would wait for Dr. Nishikino.

She asked if it was okay to wander around the hospital, which she was given the okay. All Nico had to remember was where her room was. _'2-F.'_

She was thankful that she was only one floor from the bottom. She asked for a nurse's aid for walking around. The second floor wasn't too interesting. Just a bunch of rooms and the help desk. So, she decided to go to the first floor. Nico assumed that the two other floors were similar to the second floor.

As expected, the first floor was big. There was a gift shop which had many different things. When Nico entered, a piece of jewelry caught her eye. It wasn't a fancy piece of jewelry, but Nico liked it's look. It was a silver necklace with a locket.

"You like that one?" The nurse asked her.

Nico nodded. "Yeah, but I can't get one. It would be pointless, right?"

The nurse shook her head. "I don't think it's pointless. It would be nice to have, and you can put in the things you love. Maybe your family and friends would like that."

Nico never thought like that. She only thought about how the people in her life would be affected by her death. She didn't think about what she wanted to leave behind for everyone. "Huh, you're right. What's your name?"

"Mine?" The nurse asked, which Nico nodded. "Just call me Alice."

"Okay, Alice-san. Where are you from?"

"America. I didn't think I would get to work at a place like this."

"Yeah, it is a nice place. I actually know the people who own this hospital."

Nico saw Alice's eyes widen at her realization. "That's really cool! That name seems so familiar. 'Nishikino…' To be honest, you seem familiar too Nico."

"Me? Familiar?"

Alice took a chance. " _Nico-Nico-nii! I'll Nico-Nico-nii your heart! I'm Yazawa Nico-Nico, and I'll put a smile in your heart! Remember, I'm Nico-nii, and I love you, Nico!"_

Nico was in disbelief. So much so that she couldn't say anything.

"You're Yazawa Nico! From Muse!" Alice said excitedly. Nico nodded her head, still in shock. "I'm…uh…a pretty big fan…of you, Nico..." Alice started to worry. "Please don't think I'm weird!"

"N-no! You aren't weird, Alice-san!" Nico finally responded. "I'm just…surprised. I didn't expect to meet a fan from outside of Japan. Especially someone like yourself."

"Eheh, well I did find out about you during university. I love you guys, but you're my favourite of Muse." Alice said with embarrassment.

"Well…thanks. Would you like to come eat with me?" Nico suggested.

"Umm, maybe on my break. If I get one, I don't really remember."

"That's okay! Could you help me back to my room, Alice-san? I'm getting a bit tired." Nico asked.

"Of course, Nico!" And the two of them went back to Nico's room. Alice went back and checked in on the other patients while Nico lied in her bed.

"A fan, huh?"

* * *

A/N: A scare for Nico, and meeting a fan.

This was a short chapter, but things will ramp up in the next one. Promise.

Leave reviews, and follow/favourite if you like this story.

Thanks for Reading!


	5. Chapter 5

Review Responses:

Aethuran: Glad it was a mix of sad/happy. I'm happy that you like my responses! Also, that timezone thing. I know how you feel.

bobzity1: I feel you, Nico is one of my faves as well.

Guest: Nico isn't my fave, but she is top tier for me.

* * *

"Nico isn't here today?" Eli asked her friend who was sitting there.

Nozomi shook her head. "I haven't seen her. I texted her, but she hasn't said anything yet."

"Hmm, okay. She did say she wasn't feeling too good on Friday." Eli said, with Nozomi responding with a nod. "I saw her and her family at my job, and she seemed fine. I guess she was still a bit sick."

"Yeah, it's going to be less fun without Nicochi." Nozomi told her blonde friend.

"Nozomi…" Eli sighed.

…

Nico was sitting in her bed. She asked her mom to bring her the bags from the clothing store. She had them, but she planned to give the presents to her friends closer to Nico's passing. Since she didn't know when she would be dying, she had to plan accordingly. She looked at the date. July 17. _'Oh.'_ Nico was so distraught with her eventual death that she didn't notice her birthday is coming up. _'That's the perfect time.'_

She called for Alice. She was given her number since she was a fan. She also liked Alice, so it didn't hurt to ask for her help.

"Nico? You need something?" Alice walked into the room. "What are those bags?" She pointed at the pile.

"It's something for my friends. My birthday is coming up, and I want to give this to them as a present. I bought it for them."

"That's nice of you. But, why did you need me?" Alice asked. She went over to Nico when the girl coughed, but it wasn't anything too serious.

"Cou-Could you get some boxes and wrapping paper? And help me wrap these up?" Nico asked.

"Sure! Let me just ask Dr. Nishikino if I can." Alice ran off and left Nico alone. However, being alone didn't bother Nico. It let her think about all of her friends. Her family. She checked her phone and saw a text from Nozomi, asking if she was okay because she wasn't at school.

She had to make a choice. Should she tell them? Or wait until…it was too late...

She texted Nozomi back.

Nico:  
 _Can you bring everyone to the Nishikino Hospital?  
I need to tell you all something._

* * *

"Nozomi, where are we going?" Eli asked. Nozomi told them that they can't have practice. They needed to go with Nozomi.

Eli waited for a response, but Nozomi stayed silent. She looked at her face and saw the serious expression being worn by Nozomi.

"Nozomi-chan, are you going to tell us?" Honoka asked. Still, no response.

They approached the hospital, which was the least likely place in their mind. However, they started to worry when Nozomi entered.

"Why are we at the hospital?" Maki asked. She was confused since they were in her family's hospital.

They didn't hear Nozomi at the front desk, but started to follow her when she walked quickly.

They went to the second floor, still very confused. Nozomi saw someone outside of room 2-F who looked like a nurse.

"Hello miss. Is this-" Nozomi was cut off.

"You are from Muse?" Alice asked her. Nozomi nodded. "She's in here."

Nozomi peered her head into the door. "N-Nicochi?"

Alice moved the curtain, which revealed Nico to her friends. "Hi everyone." She coughed blood, which Alice was quick to take care of.

However, her friends all watched in fear.

"Nico-chan?" Honoka asked, clearly saddened. "What-What's happening?"

"I'm going to die soon." Nico said bluntly. She had to deliver this news and not play around. Her friends deserved to know.

"What?" Hanayo said. "You-You're going to die?"

Nico nodded.

"Could my mother not help?!" Maki sounded angry than sad. "What's wrong wi-"

"No, Maki." Maki turned to her friend. "It's a fatal disease. Not contagious, but it will kill anyone who is infected. I started coughing blood one day, and when I told her...it was inevitable. I am going to die by the end of the month, maybe sooner."

"Nicochi…" "Nico…" Both Nozomi and Eli went up to her and hugged her. Both of them started to cry, as did most of the girls in the room.

"Shh…it's-it's going to be okay." Nico tried to assure her friends.

Rin was being comforted by Hanayo. Nico was pained at seeing Rin like this and not having her bubbly personality. She and Rin started to get closer as friends, while she and Hanayo bonded while helping Kotori making costumes.

Looking to the second years, they were all comforting each other. Umi and Nico weren't extremely close, but they were still friends. Honoka hung out with Nico and Rin from time to time, and were affectionately named 'the idiot trio' because of their outgoing personalities. The person she knew the most out of the second years was Kotori. Since they were idols, they were very busy making costumes. She, Kotori, and Hanayo grew closer as they helped each other with making the costumes.

However, the people who looked the most depressed was Eli, Nozomi, and Maki.

She and Maki argued a lot, but the arguments weren't too serious. They clashed, but they also had many things they shared. She and Maki grew closer because of this. On some days, Maki invited Nico to the music room and she played her some songs. That's when she grew to like Maki, and she suspected that Maki liked her too.

Eli and Nozomi were her closest friends, despite only knowing each other for a year. Being in the same grade had them be together for a while. Being the dumbest out of all of them led them to help Nico with her studies. Nozomi was the affectionate friend while Eli was the serious one. She couldn't be the person she was today without them by her side.

Without everyone by her side.

"It won't be okay, Nicochi!" Nozomi said. "How are we going to be the same without you around?"

"What about Muse? Can we go on without you?" Honoka said.

"Honoka, come here." Nico said. Eli and Nozomi moved to let Honoka through. "You made Muse. I was just there, having the time of my life." Honoka sniffled, but she continued. "You have to decide this for yourselves." She said loudly, making sure everyone heard. "If I have a say, I want you to keep going."

"Then we will!" Honoka said. "For you, Nico-chan!" Honoka's voice cracked and she cried into Nico's arms while Nico comforted her.

"Thanks, Honoka. Everyone." Nico smiled at the room.

Rin left Hanayo's embrace and hugged Nico from the other side. "NICO-CHIN! WHY DO YOU HAVE TO LEAVE?!" Everyone was watching Rin break down. They always knew Rin as the bubbly, energetic girl. But, seeing her like this…it made them realize how much their life would change without having Nico around.

"I don't know, Rin. But I'm going to." Nico looked at everyone. "I want you all to be strong. I don't want to see you all so sad."

"How can we not be sad, Nico-chan?" Kotori asked. "You're going to die and leave us."

"When I pass, I want you all to remember me. All of the time we spent together, have that be what you remember me by. All I want is to bring…" Nico did her signature pose. "…a _Nico-Nico_ smile."

They all were brought to tears. They all were going to miss Nico's energy, positivity, and humor. They all went and hugged Nico in a big group hug. A mix of "Nico," "Nico-chan," and the unique ways to say Nico's name was being said.

And Nico realized how much she's going miss this. Her friends.

…

"Umm, Nozomi?" Alice called out. The eight girls were leaving Nico's room since it was getting late. They hung out and talked as friends, not worrying about Nico's sickness.

"Yes?" Nozomi saw this nurse when they arrived at the hospital.

"Nico's birthday is coming up, from what she told me."

Nozomi thought about it. "Yes, it's on the Saturday."

"I have a good idea for a present."

"Really?"

Alice nodded. "I'll show you. Tell the rest of them as well. I think Nico will love it."

…

The walk to the crossing was filled with silence. The only sounds came from Rin, who was still crying.

"Rin-chan." Hanayo stayed as calm as she could. "Nico-chan said to be happy. For her."

"I can't, Kayo-chin!" Rin was crying her eyes out, not caring about who saw. "Nico-chin's going to die! I want to keep hanging out with her, but I won't be able to anymore!"

The girls saw how much Rin was affected by Nico's news, much to their surprise. They knew that Nico and Rin hung out a lot, but they didn't know how much Nico affected her.

They walked to a nearby bench, which Rin took a seat. Nozomi went and hugged the girl.

"Rin-chan, you need to stay strong. For Nicochi." Nozomi said in a soothing voice.

Rin was starting to calm down, but she was still shuddering. "O-okay, Nozomi-chan."

They knew how much pain Rin was feeling. They were losing one of their closest friends. When the eight of them departed and got home, they all cried themselves to sleep.

…

Nico felt a chill, but it wasn't cold in her room. However, she had a feeling why she felt this.

"I'm going to miss you all too. I love you all."

* * *

A/N: Everyone learning about Nico's illness.

I feel that a lot of people who read this are wondering why Rin has a bit more focus on her. Well, best girl is best girl. However, I made a focus on Rin past her being my best girl. After School NAVIGATORS is one of my favourite Love Live! songs, and I feel that Rin and Nico would bond the most. They both have the same main attribute, as well. If you can't accept that...

Well too bad. Rin is best girl for me. And...I have the chapters finished and I don't really want to rewrite it. I feel that this story is one of my best.

Anyways, leave reviews and follow/favourite if you would like.

Thanks for Reading!

P.S: I also didn't realize how grim Nozomi's last sentence was in the first scene. That just makes it sound a whole lot worse.


	6. Chapter 6

Review Responses:

Aethuran: I totally get why Rin would feel OOC. However, I think that those two could easily bond. And they have the After School NAVIGATORS thing, so yeah. And maybe I wanted to write Rin because she's best girl. You know, normal reasons. Maki does get some more time in the upcoming chapters, so don't you worry.

bobzity1: I know. We'll get through this together.

* * *

Since learning about Nico's terminal illness, the eight girls could only focus on the aspiring idol.

Could Muse manage with just eight of them? How would everyone feel about Nico 'leaving?' Do they tell everyone about?

Nozomi stared at Nico's empty seat, sad that she'll never be there again.

"Nicochi…" Nozomi said quietly.

She felt two arms wrap around her.

"I miss her, Elichi." Nozomi said to her best friend, her voice cracking.

"Yeah. We all do. Remember…" Nozomi looked up at Eli. "She wants us to have a Nico-Ni-Nico-smile." Eli struggled to say, but managed to do so.

Nozomi nodded. "Yeah…"

…

The girls went and did their practice. They went with Nico's wishes to keep Muse going. However, they were finding it difficult to focus. All they could think about is Nico and how everything is going to change.

They all understood, so they decided to cut practice short. The Love Live qualifiers wasn't close, so they had time to think about Nico.

"I-I have an idea." Rin said as the others were pondering.

"Oh." Eli was surprised since Rin is a person that goes with other's ideas. "Okay, what is it Rin?"

"Let's make a song…a farewell song to Nico-chin."

"Rin-chan." Hanayo started to tear up, but felt a positive energy coming from her best friend.

"That sounds great!" Honoka said positively.

"Do you think we can make it before Nico-chin's birthday?" Rin looked to Maki and Umi.

The two girls nodded. "For sure."

And so, the girls went to work on the song.

"I need to get something for Nicochi. Is it okay?" Nozomi said.

Rin nodded. "Yes! Get Nico-chin's present! She'll be so happy, nya!"

Nozomi smiled. "Thanks Rin. Elichi, could you come with me?"

Eli looked to Rin, who nodded. "Sure, Nozomi."

* * *

"We're at the hospital? Are we visiting Nico?" Eli asked.

"We can if you want…actually, let's do that first." Nozomi told her.

So, the two went to Nico's room. They were greeted by Alice and went over to Nico.

It was obvious that Nico's health was deteriorating. She seemed paler, most likely due to her coughing blood. She was getting much weaker. She had a walker because she couldn't walk for too long without becoming exhausted. She didn't have medication on the table in front of her.

"Hi, Nicochi." Nozomi greeted Nico.

She was half asleep, but she perked up from hearing her friend's voice. "Oh, Nozomi. And Eli too, hi." She sounded weak, and it wasn't just from her waking up.

"Hi, Nico. Are you not taking any meds?" Eli asked, concern in her voice.

She shook her head slowly. "It's better not to. I don't want to burden my family by getting medicine that's pointless. It's okay, I've…I've come to accept this."

"Oh." Eli felt bad for asking that. Nico, despite having her life end soon, always thinking about others before herself.

"Hey, don't feel bad Eli." Nico coughed blood, which seemed to be a daily occurrence for her with how casually she brushed it off. "As long as I can keep my friends and family happy before I'm gone."

Eli was trembling, and Nozomi was speechless. Nico was so selfless for everyone while she suffers. Someone so good, gone too soon.

"So, how are you guys?" Nico asked, happy to talk with her friends. "The others aren't with you?"

"No, sorry Nico. They had some homework to do." Eli told her. She didn't know, but it would be better to surprise Nico with everything.

"Ah. Well, that's one good thing. No homework." Nico smiled, which brought a laugh to Eli and Nozomi. They were surprised that she could be so happy.

" _Onee-chan!_ " Nico, Eli, and Nozomi all heard Cocoro's voice.

"Hi! Eli, you remember these three." Nico motioned to her siblings. Eli waved while they waved back. "Nozomi, these are my siblings; Cocoro, Cocoa, and Cotaro."

"Hello." Nozomi smiled at the three kids while they waved at her.

"Is mom with you?"

Cocoa nodded. "Yup! She's just talking to Dr. Nishikino."

"Okay, what do you guys want to do? We have some more _onee-chans._ You guys can play with them, right?" Nico asked the blonde and purple-haired girls.

"Sure!" Nozomi responded.

…

Nico's mother came a bit after and greeted the three girls. The six of them played charades and cards, so they don't strain Nico. After a while, the Yazawas had to leave. The three kids warmed up to Eli and Nozomi, and were sad that they had to leave their three _onee-chans._

"Thanks. I had fun today, especially with you two." Nico told her friends.

Eli and Nozomi blushed at the compliment, but had mutual feelings. "It was nothing. Your siblings are cute and fun to be around." Eli told her. Nozomi nodded.

"That's good. I hope my mother and I raised them well."

"I think you did." Nozomi said, which brought a smile to Nico's face. "Oh! Sorry, Nico. We have to go."

"No, it's fine. I had fun. Hug?" Nico put her arms out, which Nozomi and Eli happily took. They stayed strong while in the hug to not upset Nico.

They waved goodbye as Nico went to sleep.

"That was fun, huh?" Eli said.

"Yeah. Nicochi and her siblings are fun to be around." Nozomi took Eli's hand and squeezed it tight. "Now, let's get Nicochi's present."

They went to gift shop, like Alice said. "What's in here?" Eli questioned.

Nozomi looked around and found it. The silver locket that Nico was eyeing.

"Alice-san said that Nicochi wanted this, but she said that she wouldn't need it. I guess she's right, but…I want to get it for her."

Eli nodded. "That sounds good. What's going to be inside it?"

Nozomi told her, and texted everyone else about what she would put inside the locket. They all agreed.

* * *

"Maki-chan. Umi-chan. Rin-chan. Are you sure you don't want to come with us?"

It was Wednesday, and Honoka planned for the first and second years to go and visit Nico.

"Yes, Honoka-chan." Umi told her friend calmly.

"The song isn't finished yet, we have some more work to do." Maki told the leader.

"Really?" Honoka asked, somewhat dejected.

"Yes, Honoka-chan!" Rin said with confidence. "This need to be perfect for Nico-chin!"

Hanayo stopped Honoka from responding. She was happy that Rin was so passionate for Nico.

"Alright. We'll tell her you said hi!" Honoka said as the three started to leave for the hospital. Hanayo, Kotori, and Honoka waved at the five other girls.

"You guys are so nice to be making this song for Nico." Eli told the three girls.

They all smiled. "Thanks, Eli-chan."

…

Honoka was ahead of the other two, but her eyes was drawn to the arcade. So, she went in with Kotori and Hanayo close behind.

"Honoka-chan? Why are we here?" Kotori asked. Honoka was drawn to the crane game.

"That!" Honoka pointed at a plushie. "I want to give Nico that!"

"A heart?" Hanayo asked.

Honoka nodded. "She would like it, right?"

Kotori and Hanayo nodded. "Yeah, I think she would!"

"I'll get it for her. It's going to be from all of us!"

Honoka easily got the heart, which she thanked Nico for teaching her the skills to do so. Honoka turned and started to leave…

"Honoka-chan!" Kotori stopped her friend. "Hanayo-chan and I want to get her something too."

"Oh!" Honoka reached into her pocket and found some more change. "Here ya go! I think she'll like whatever you get her."

"I think so too!" Hanayo said.

It took a bit, but Kotori and Hanayo got the plushies. A red bird and a bowl of rice.

Honoka laughed. "That would suit you more than Nico."

"Well," Kotori said as she and Hanayo blushed. "It's like a memory of us. Everything we're doing for her is for us to remember her..."

Kotori almost broke down, but Honoka and Hanayo comforted her. "Yeah, you're right. Calm down, Kotori-chan. Nico-chan wants us to be happy."

Kotori remembered Nico's words and perked up. "Right!" She wiped her tears.

"Can we keep these secret until Nico-chan's birthday? We can make it her present." Hanayo said.

"That's a good idea!" Honoka responded. The girls put the plushies into their bags and walked to the hospital.

…

"Hi, Nico-chan!" Honoka said with positivity. Nozomi and Eli told everyone what they saw, so they tried to ignore everything. The one thing they couldn't ignore was Nico's health.

It was just like Eli and Nozomi described. Pale skin, medicine was nowhere to be found. A trashcan was beside her which was filled with blood-stained tissues.

"Honoka-chan! Kotori-chan! Hanayo-chan!" Nico said excitedly. "You're here today! So, what's up?"

"Can you still eat regular food?" Hanayo asked.

"Maybe, let me ask Alice." She rang Alice, who quickly came to the room. "Alice, can I eat normal food?"

"Hmm, like what?"

Nico turned to the three girls. "What do you have?"

They brought out their three containers.

"I have some manju from my parent's shop." Honoka said.

"I…uh, have a lot of rice." Hanayo showed off the amount of rice, slightly embarrassed.

"I have a curry stew, not spicy." Kotori said, holding up a thermos.

Alice nodded. "That should be okay. It's going to take some time before you have to eat hospital food, Nico."

"Great!" Nico said. "Thanks Alice! Let's eat, girls!"

"Yeah!" The three girls cheered.

They were so happy to enjoy their time with their friend. Their meal was pleasant and they had some pleasant conversations.

"That was so good! It beats eating jelly and juice for the entire day." Nico said.

"Yeah! It was like a picnic!" Hanayo said with positivity.

"Well, we don't have much else to do. Sorry, Nico-chan." Honoka said in a sad tone.

"Nonsense! I had fun with you guys today. Thanks for coming." Nico said with a smile.

Kotori couldn't contain her emotions and ran into Nico's arms.

"Kotori…" Nico said to the ash-haired girl. She looked up and saw the other two girls trembling. She spread out her arms. "Come here, both of you."

Honoka and Hanayo ran into Nico's arms and cried along with Kotori. Nico stayed strong, but was struggling to not cry.

"I'm going to miss you guys." Nico told them, and she felt their hug tighten.

* * *

A/N: Preparations for Nico's birthday.

It's coming up. The end. 3 chapters and an epilogue. Not much else to say.

Leave reviews, and follow/favourite if you enjoy.

Thanks for Reading!


	7. Chapter 7

Review Responses:

Aetuhran: It's sad, but touching. Glad no onions were harmed to make you cry.

bobzity1: Good hug. *Thumbs up*

Bravo Tango: Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad that many people are getting somewhat invested.

* * *

The three girls looked over the song, with happiness in their eyes.

"How is it?" Umi asked.

"I think it's good." Maki said. She turned to Rin. "Rin? Is it good?"

Rin brought the papers to her face. "It's perfect."

…

Nico woke up, a bit more excited for this day than most.

"Happy birthday to me!" Nico said quietly to herself. It was Saturday, so she expected her friends and family to be there. They've visited every day since she was afflicted, much to her delight.

However, she didn't expect them to be first.

"Happy birthday, Nico!" Alice came into the room. She had a small bag, which Nico noticed.

"Thanks Alice!" She hugged the nurse that she befriended. Alice was important to her, since she was the first 'fan' that she met. Alice also helped Nico whenever she was in need.

"Here, Nico!" Alice put the bag in Nico's face, a bit too eager for her own good. "Oops, heh."

Nico took the bag and opened it. Inside, it was a pink scarf with a sunflower on one end. She wrapped it around herself. Although it was July, it was comforting to wear. "I love it. Thanks Alice!" She hugged the girl again.

"Now, let's celebrate with some jelly!"

Nico sighed, but laughed. "Alright."

…

It was around the afternoon. Nico was lying on her bed when she heard something from outside the door.

"Happy birthday, Nico!" Her friends and family said from the door.

Nico was speechless. She expected them to celebrate, but they brought the works.

Party poppers, signs, a strawberry cake! She was the happiest girl in the world. She had the best friends and the best family. She couldn't love them more.

"You're going to have the best birthday today!" Her mother exclaimed. "We'll start with cake!"

Alice chimed in, despite the sad news. "Um, Miss Yazawa. Nico can't have cake, anything solid. She can have things like pudding or jelly, but cake isn't allowed. I'm sorry."

Nico deflated at the news. She was excited to try the strawberry cake, but Alice was right. She found it extremely difficult to eat normal food, so it's best for her to eat soft foods and soup.

"That's alright. We made something special for that." Nico turned to see a pudding in front of her.

"Here ya go, Nicochi!" Nozomi held the pudding and a spoon. Nico inspected the special pudding. It had a strawberry jelly-like top. When she dug the spoon in, she saw that there was pudding underneath. She tasted it, and it-

"-tastes like strawberry cheesecake! How did you get this?" Nico asked.

"Well," Eli chimed in. "Me, Kotori, and Hanayo made it. We were afraid that you might not be able to eat the cake, so we made this instead. Do you like it?"

Nico had tears in her eyes, but wiped them away quickly. "I-I love it. Thank you."

Eli, Kotori, and Hanayo all smiled. "Glad you enjoyed!"

"Let's eat!"

Alice was about to leave, but was stopped by Nozomi.

"Alice-san, can you promise me to come back here? I'll save you a slice." Nozomi said with a smile.

Alice nodded. "Okay, Nozomi!" She walked away to tend to other patients.

The room was lively. The cake was cut into equal slices, and one was left for Alice. Nico enjoyed her strawberry cheesecake pudding while the rest of the room ate their strawberry cake.

After eating, they played Nico's favourite game, charades. Many of the actions were silly, such as: spin the bottle, where Maki spun around so much she almost fell over. Leap frog, where Cocoro struggled to leap over Rin since the room was small. And propose, where Nozomi got on one knee and used Eli as the recipient. Eli was blushing furiously, to the delight of everyone.

After that, it was time for presents.

"Okay, Nicochi. Are you ready for your presents?"

Nico wanted to say that they would be pointless, but she remembered what Alice said. To think about making memories with her friends and family.

She nodded. The first people to come were Honoka, Kotori, and Hanayo.

"Nico-chan, our gifts aren't as fancy as the others. But, we chose these gifts that reflect you."

The three girls brought out their plushies.

Nico saw the heart, a red bird, and a bowl of rice. She smiled and wiped a tear from her eye. She tightly hugged the three plushies. "Thank you Honoka. Kotori. Hanayo." The three girls were happy to see Nico's smiling face.

Next up was Nozomi and Eli. "Alice-san said that you liked this, so Elichi and I bought it for you. We stylized it so it was specifically for our Nicochi."

It was a jewelry box that Eli pulled out. Nico had a small feeling about what it was, but she didn't think that it would actually be the thing she wanted.

When she opened it, she was very happy. "The locket." She opened the locket up and saw the two pictures. And they warmed her heart.

The µ's symbol, and a family picture of her family doing her pose.

"T-Th-Thank you, Nozomi. Eli." She managed to choke out. "I love it." Nozomi helped Nico put it around her neck. She left the scarf close to her, and put it back on after the locket.

Last, Umi, Maki, and Rin stepped up.

"Nico, I just want to say," Maki said. "I…I love you. And-And I'm- I'm going..." Maki couldn't say the words. She was being comforted by Kotori and Hanayo as she started to cry.

"Nico." Umi said, shifting Nico's focus from her love to her blue-haired friend. "Maki loves you, and she's going to miss you." Nico looked to the red head, who was nodding.

"Maki, come here." She followed Nico's request and stood beside her. She leaned Maki over and kissed her cheek. "I love you too. I'm going to miss you when I'm gone. And I hope that you'll miss me too." Maki was crying, but she nodded. "Thank you, Maki. For being in my life. Everyone, thank you for making me the person I am."

Everyone was in tears, but Rin stayed strong. "Nico-chin! We have something more than Maki's love, nya!" Nico giggled at this while Maki went back to the two others. Umi, with the help of Nico's mother, brought in a keyboard. "Maki-chan, Umi-chan, and I made a song for you. It's kinda sad, but it's also happy, nya!"

Nico couldn't believe all of the thought that they put in. The thought that everyone put in. To make Nico happy.

Maki sat down and started to play a mix of sadness and happiness, but it was more on the happy side.

Rin started to sing, with Umi singing along.

 _For the time we spent together  
It was the best of our lives  
Although we have to leave  
We're going to say goodbye  
With a smile_

 _There's not a day I spent with you I miss  
Because everyday we had was bliss  
Although it hurts to say goodbye  
We'll meet again and start over by saying hi_

 _All the memories  
We'll never forget  
Although our time was short  
It's the time we don't regret_

 _For the time we spent together  
It was the best of our lives  
Although we have to leave  
We're going to say goodbye  
With a smile_

Nico was awestruck. The song that they put together was pure bliss, and she was so happy that she wanted it to be with her for as long as she had left.

"Can you sing it again? I want to record it, if it's okay." Nico asked.

"O-okay. Anything for-for Nico-chin!" Rin said. "Okay, Maki-chan? Umi-chan?"

They nodded and got ready. Maki started to play the tune while Nico recorded it.

"~For the time we spent together ~It was the best of our lives ~Although we ha-have to leave ~We're going to- going to say…say goodbye…with a s-sm-"

Rin couldn't keep going. Singing it the first time was tough, but she persevered. The second time, she kept hearing the lyrics. And how it was going to be time for Nico to leave them.

She started to cry and ran to Nico. "NICO-CHIN!" She said through her tears. Nico held the girl in her arms, petting her. "I DON'T WANT TO SAY GOODBYE!" Rin cried.

And Nico couldn't stop her tears. One of her best friends were crying and was hurt. And she couldn't keep her emotions in control. "I don't want to either, Rin! I'm sorry!" The two girls cried in each other's arms. The other people in the room could only watch with sad expressions on their faces.

The two girls calmed down after a while. But, Nico still had her request.

"Rin, can you sing the song again?"

Rin felt stronger after letting her emotions out. "Yes!"

And she sang it as Nico recorded it.

…

Alice came back to the room when everyone started to put the things away.

"Here, Alice-san!" Nozomi brought the cake over to her.

"Thanks, Nozomi. Did Nico get to blow out her candle?"

Nico's mother heard Alice, and felt dumb. "We forgot!"

Alice saw the panic in the mother's eyes. "Here, Ms. Yazawa! Use my cake!"

"Thank you, Alice!" She took the cake and stuck a candle in. She lit it, and put it in front of Nico. They all sang 'Happy Birthday,' which Nico enjoyed.

"Okay, make a wish!"

Nico did and blew out the candle, as everyone applauded.

"Thank you everyone. For making this the best birthday ever."

A mix of 'no problem,' 'you're welcome,' and 'I'm glad you liked it,' was spoken by the room.

"I have two more things to do." The room turned to the bed-ridden girl.

"First. Alice, could you get the bags?" She saw Alice nod and leave to get them.

"Bags? What for, nya?" Rin asked.

"Here, Nico." Alice brought the bags over.

"Remember when I got your birthday presents?" She saw some nods, and some eyes widening. "Well, it's not your birthday. It's mine. But, happy early birthday!"

Nico started to bring out the presents, one-by-one.

"Maki: the silver ring that was a bit pricey." Nico said with a smile.

The red-head took the box, tears in her eyes. "Nico..."

"Umi: the practical socks." She handed the socks to Umi, who held them tight.

"Honoka: the mess of ribbons for your ponytail." Honoka took the ribbons, but her hands were trembling.

She pulled out a bigger box. "Eli's ballet slippers. I hope you do well in that, Eli." Eli took the box and held it tightly to her chest.

"Kotori: the idol bag." It was hard for Nico to wrap it, but she was glad that Kotori immediately put it on.

"Nozomi: your big sunhat."

"N-Nicochi. Can I…open it?" Nico was surprised at the request, but she allowed it. It wasn't that hard to open, and Nozomi had a huge smile when she opened it. She put it on, even though it was night. Nico was happy to see the smile.

She pulled out the last two presents at the same time. "And finally…Hanayo and Rin. A mouth-watering rice shirt, and a cute sundress."

The two girls hugged the boxes.

"I hope you guys like those. You chose them." Nico was glad that she brought a smile to everyone's faces. "I want you to do one thing. When…When I do pass…and my-my wake happens…please wear those. Don't care about the looks you get from everyone. They're people that I kinda know. You are all special to me, and no one will know how special these are but us. Okay?"

She saw the eight girls nod, with tears in their eyes.

" _Onee-chan,_ is there anything for us?" Cocoa asked. Nico smiled at her sister.

"Mom, you haven't told them yet?" She shook her head. "Well, you also get something. As well as Maki."

"Huh? Me?" Maki's attention perked up.

"Maki, you'll be getting another mom, a brother, and two sisters."

Nico's mother smiled at Maki. "Please take care of us."

"You're-You're living with us?"

Nico nodded. "When I pass, they'll be in your care. Please be good to them."

Maki nodded vigorously. "Yes-Yes I will. Please take care of me as well."

Nico's mother walked up to Maki and put her hand out. "Gladly."

Maki shook the hand in front of her.

"Oh! I just have one more thing to ask."

…

Nico was alone in her bed, with only the lamp on. She asked Alice to give her some pens and paper. She finished her note and placed it next to all of the things she got.

The plush heart, bird, and rice bowl from Honoka, Kotori, and Hanayo. Her locket that had two pictures, which she got from Nozomi and Eli. The scarf she received from Alice. And everything from Umi, Rin, and Maki. The sheet that had the lyrics, and her phone that played the recording on loop.

And the picture of everyone doing the _Nico-Nico-nii_ pose.

She felt so loved.

And this love would be gone when she leaves.

But she knows that everyone would remember her, and that she'll meet them again.

"I love you all."

And Nico fell asleep to the sounds of the song that was written for her.

' _With A Smile'_

* * *

A/N: Nico's birthday party.

I could have sworn I uploaded this. Whoops. Well, better late than a day late, right? This story has 1 chapter, 1 epilogue and it is over. Hopefully, you like this.

Leave reviews and follow/favourite!

Thanks for Reading!


	8. Chapter 8

Review Responses:

bobzity1: I'm so glad you liked this story so much. It was hard for me to write as well, but it was fun.

Aethuran: Yes, it was nice.

* * *

The monitor flatlined.

"Nico! Stay with me!" Dr. Nishikino said, Alice by her side.

"Clear!" The defibrillator shocked Nico, but there was no response. She did it many more times, but all were to no avail.

"Is…Is she gone?" Alice asked somberly.

Dr. Nishikino nodded and wiped a tear from her eye. "Yeah. I'll call her mother. Thank you...Alice."

Alice looked at the lifeless body and wiped away her tears. Nico was gone.

* * *

Nico's mother and her children rushed to the hospital the next day. They couldn't go yesterday since Nico passed in the middle of the night. She couldn't disturb the other patients, but she was desperate to go to her daughter.

She got there and her children followed her to Nico's room. Alice was outside of the room, and she was looking into it, her expression distraught.

"Miss Yazawa. Her belongings are in here. We moved the body." Alice told her the details.

"May I?"

"Please." Alice motioned the four to go into the room. The room looked like a typical hospital room since Nico wasn't there. As Alice said, Nico's body was gone and there was a table that had all of the things Nico received yesterday.

"Mama, is Nico…gone now?" Cocoro asked, her expression was deflated.

The children had tears in her eyes. Nico's mother had tears in her eyes. Alice had tears in her eyes.

"Yes, Cocoro. Nico is gone now." The somber tone made the three cry and hug their mother.

Nico's mother looked at Nico's phone. It was plugged in and was playing a video. Of Nico's friends singing. She saw a tear fall on the screen, but she didn't care. She held Nico's phone close to her chest.

She felt bad for doing this, but it was the only way she knew how.

She went to Nico's texts. She sent a message to every single Muse member.

Nico:  
 _Nico has passed away  
Please come to the hospital_

* * *

The eight girls met Ms. Yazawa, Nico's siblings, and Alice in Nico's previous room.

"So, she's really gone." Nozomi said in a sad tone.

Sobs were heard from Rin and Maki.

"She passed away on her birthday. And she kept saying it was the best birthday she had." Maki was struggling to say through her sobs.

Hanayo had to comfort both Maki and Rin. Elin and Nozomi were hugging each other, and Alice was comforting the second years.

"Nico," Ms. Yazawa said to get everyone's attention. "She left all the things she got yesterday. She kept her phone on and played the song until she went to sleep." Rin, Maki, and Umi were happy that Nico kept the song playing. They were somewhat glad that Nico kept her phone on so they could receive the text. It was the only way that they would know that Nico passed, other than finding out by seeing it.

"She left a note. It says to read it after she…she passed. It also says to read it aloud to all of us here." Alice brought chairs in for everyone, and everyone took a seat.

Nico's mother opened the letter and her tears immediately started to roll down her face.

* * *

 _To everyone,_

 _If you are reading this, I have passed away._

 _I want this letter to be read to everyone in the picture, and them only. They are the closest people in my life, and this is a personal letter to them._

 _I turned 18 when I wrote this letter. Happy birthday to me. It may feel like my time was short here, but I can say that it was the best life I could have lived._

 _My life was uneventful until my father died. When my mom stayed strong and hid her pain behind a smile, I made a goal for myself. To make people smile._

 _And being an idol made that happen. It was lonely being in the idol study club, but that was when Muse started. Being an idol, it felt like my goal was accomplished._

 _I want to thank you all for being in my life._

 _Thank you, Alice. I may have only known you for a little while, but it made me see that I have fans. We all have fans. You took care of me when I needed help, and was always close to me._

 _Honoka, thank you. Thank you for starting Muse. To make my dreams, my goal into a reality. You are a perfect leader and have positivity that I admire. Although you had your ups and downs, I can only see it as making you a better person._

 _Kotori. It was fun making costumes together. You are always the great bundle of joy. You always think of us before yourself. Everyone may be like that, but I felt like you did that the most. Have fun making costumes, and make sure they're cute!_

 _Umi, thanks. Like the ocean you are named after, you are calming but terrifying. It was a bit scary when you pushed us, but I know that it was to better ourselves. Thanks for being the cool and collected person in our group._

 _But Eli is also a cool and collected person. It was great to be around you, blondie. You are so smart, talented, and beautiful. Sometimes, I envied it. But, I know that it is uniquely you. You weren't just a school council president, you were a friend. And for that, I'm always grateful._

 _Your girlfriend is also amazing. Thank you, Nozomi. You were a bit like Eli, except more outgoing. You always teased me, and I received a lot of Washi Washis. However, it showed how much you cared for me. Thank you for that._

 _Hanayo. You are always so shy, but such a nerd when it comes to idols. Just like me. It was always fun to hang out and eat food. It may have seemed small, but it meant the world to me. I want to give you one last thing. The entire collection I_ _had, it's all yours._

 _Maki and Rin. The two girls that I think took this the hardest._

 _Maki. The girl I love. The girl that loves me. It would have been awesome to be dating, but this came and took that away from us. Always so talented, pretty, and cute whenever it happens. I hope you have fun with my mom and my siblings. And keep on playing the piano. I'll miss hearing that. I love you, Maki._

 _Rin. We've hung out so much that you gave me a nickname. I'm as close as Hanayo to you, I think. I didn't know how much I affected you until I told you all about my eventual end. Everyone took it hard, but you were the first one to break me out of our circle of friends. So, I'm sorry for leaving so soon. We could have done so much things together. I'm happy about that song you wrote. I'll call it, 'With A Smile.' Umi told me that you planned it all out, and I can't thank you enough. I'll keep it on repeat until I pass, because it's the most beautiful thing I've heard. Keep being the big ball of happiness, nya._

 _My mother. Cocoro, Cocoa, Cotaro. I hope I was the best daughter and big sister to you all. Although I am gone now, I hope you will always remember me. Remember dad. Now remember, Maki is going to be your big sister now. Be nice to her, and annoy her from time to time. For me. Mom, Maki will be your fifth daughter. I hope Maki will accept that. Be sure to show her the love you showed to me. I'll be sure to say hi to dad for you all._

 _I love you all, and I wish I could spend my days with you forever. I know we'll meet again, and we'll all have a Nico-Nico smile. I want you all to be happy, even when I'm gone. That's was my birthday wish. I wish that everyone will be happy. When I'm gone, keep that happiness._

 _For Muse, I want you to promise me two things._

 _One, remember our promise. At my wake, wear the things that I gave to you. My mom will understand, Alice will understand. If you get weird looks, ignore them. Those people aren't like you. You're special, they aren't. Only we'll understand what it means._

 _Two. Do what you want about Muse. I said that I would want it to keep going. And I remember Honoka said so as well. But, if you decide to stop it, I won't care. I want you guys to do what feels right for you._

 _That's it. This letter is only a fraction of what I can say and do to show how much I love you all. And I truly do love each person that read this letter. You were my everything, be it from when I was born to just this year. I can never repay you, but I hope that I'll still be in your hearts._

" _Nico-Nico-nii! I'll Nico-Nico-nii your heart! I'm Yazawa Nico-Nico, and I'll put a smile in your heart! Remember, I'm Nico-nii, and I love you, Nico!"_

 _Thanks For Everything._

 _\- Nico_

* * *

Everyone was crying. Nico passed away so soon, and her letter is the last thing they have. Of Nico's.

Rin and Maki were hugging each other, crying into each other's shoulder. Nozomi was crying while Eli was hugging her, struggling to keep her composure. Umi let Honoka lay her head on Umi's lap, both were crying and shivering. Kotori and Hanayo were leaning on each other, crying. Alice and Ms. Yazawa were comforting Nico's siblings, although they were struggling.

Everyone loved Nico. Everyone will miss her.

* * *

Nico's wake was a small affair. There were not many people, since Nico's family was small.

As the eight girls promised, they all wore their presents. They also brought their plushies that Nico won for them. They felt like Nico would like that.

"Hi, Ms. Yazawa." Alice greeted Nico's mother.

"Hello, Alice. Thanks for coming."

"No problem. I don't think I told you. I was a big fan of Nico when she was in Muse."

Nico's mother found that interesting, and the two women talked while they waited for more guests.

...

Eli felt her dress being tugged.

"Oh! Hi Cotaro." Eli said to the little boy. "Where are your sisters?"

He pointed to Cocoro and Cocoa, with Maki not far behind them. "Cotaro, don't leave like that." Maki said to him.

"Sorry." He said. Maki patted his head.

"It's okay, just don't do that again. We're lucky that this place is so small." She smiled when she saw his head nod.

"Hi, Eli _onee-chan._ Nozomi _onee-chan._ " Cocoro said to the pair.

"Hiya, Cocoro." Nozomi said to the girl.

As expected, Nico's family moved into the Nishikino household after Nico passed. Maki was taking care of the three children, but asked Eli and Nozomi to help her. She was also taught some basic essentials by Nico's mother. Since there was always maids to take care of her, Maki was new to a lot of the things she was taught. However, she persevered and could now wash clothes and cook an egg.

"Hi everyone." The rest of Muse came in. And they talked to each other until the wake started.

"Now, if everyone could take their seats." Ms. Yazawa asked the audience.

The front row was reserved for the Muse members, Alice, and Nico's family. The others sat in scattered seats.

"Nico was my first daughter. My husband and I loved her and we couldn't believe how amazing she was. When her sisters and brother came into this world, she cared for them with a wide heart. My husband passed away soon after, and she kept a smile through it all. She made many friends, those who are here today. She affected our lives, for the better."

Nico's mother finished her speech. She kept it short so that everyone had a chance to see the girl.

The family members went up first, who looked at Nico for a good while.

When it came to Muse's turn, they all went up together. Ms. Yazawa, Nico's siblings, and Alice came up as well.

Nico was wearing a pink dress, a rose in her hands. She looked peaceful, with a sliver necklace being worn.

Everyone stayed strong as they looked at Nico's body. However, Rin and Maki were hugging each other trying to stay calm.

...

The wake was short, just a small lunch after. The eight girls hung out at a small café, when they ran into three familiar girls.

"A-RISE?" Honoka said, surprised.

"Hello, Honoka. Everyone." Tsubasa said. "We…We heard about what happened."

"Oh."

"We're very sorry." Anju said.

"Don't be. Nico wouldn't like that." Eli said, smile on her face. "Is there any reason you came here?"

Erena shook her head. "Not really. But, we just wanted to see how you guys are. This is a big deal, after all."

The eight girls nodded; Erena was right. Nico not being there would affect everyone, at least in the idol world.

Rin stepped up. "We're going to still perform!" The girls looked at their friend. "This is for Nico-chin, we promised her. We want you to keep going as well. At your best! Don't be afraid to go all out. Nico-chin would hate you for that!" Rin put out a hand.

Tsubasa took it and shook. "Okay, Rin-chan. We will put our all into it. And we want you to as well."

However, Rin leapt into Tsubasa's arms. She started to cry. "I MISS NICO-CHIN!"

"Rin…R-Rin..." Maki tried to call to her friend, however she started to feel her tears welt up. She was stopped by Tsubasa, thankfully.

"It's okay, Maki-chan." She started to pat Rin's back and pet her. "We miss Nico-chan as well."

The girls stayed there for a while, all teary-eyed as Tsubasa comforted Rin.

* * *

A/N: Post Nico's death.

Just the epilogue left. Man, rereading this chapter brought put a tear in my eye. I'm really proud of this whole story, and I'm glad there are many people who like it as well.

Leave reviews, and follow/favourite f you like it.

Thanks for Reading!


	9. Epilogue

Review Responses:

bobzity1: I'm sorry, my onion cutting prowess is too strong. Maybe this will cheer you up?

Aethuran: I'm glad someone caught the story title. The letter is sad, absolutely.

* * *

The idol world never learned of Nico's passing, at least while Muse was still performing. What it knew was that Nico left due to some circumstances.

To qualify for the finals, Muse sang their song "Snow Halation." Nozomi wanted it to be about love. What made them find the inspiration was their deceased friend.

Before they performed, they all thought to themselves one thing:

' _Thank you, Nico. We love you. This is for you.'_

* * *

Three years passed. All of Muse has graduated and attended post-secondary places.

Before then, Muse won the Love Live!. Their last performance was dedicated to Nico.

Honoka took a year before going to college. She stayed at her family's shop and helped there. Umi went to university, but she also worked at the dojo on the side. Honoka and Umi started to date, and they soon moved in together.

Hanayo and Kotori started a small business of clothing lines. They called it _'Pure Smiles,'_ a small nod to their dear friend. They started small, but it soon grew to a big deal. They built up enough funds for the two of them to go to fashion school. They said goodbye to their friends and left for the United States.

Eli and Nozomi continued to date. The two of them attended the same university. Eli was working to be a dance instructor while Nozomi went as a business woman. Soon, Nozomi proposed to Eli, and got married before Kotori and Hanayo left. They did the ceremony at the Nishikino household, and the celebration was spectacular.

Rin and Maki lived in Maki's home soon after they graduated. Maki went on to be a doctor and continued to play piano, as Nico asked. Rin played with Nico's siblings, and she found that she wanted to be a kindergarten teacher. She went to Eli and Nozomi's college, where the three got to hang out. Rin was the first to know about their proposal, and organized the event for them.

Nico's family were able to live in the Nishikino household for as long as they wanted. Ms. Yazawa became the head of the maids, while the three kids were taken care of by everyone.

Every year since Nico's passing, they went to the Nishikino hospital to visit Alice. The nurse became a doctor after going back to the United States to finish her degree.

On Nico's birthday, the group (along with A-RISE, who kept being professional idols) went to Maki's home. There, they had a 'shrine' that had all of Nico's belongings that she got on her last birthday. The phone was plugged in and was playing 'With A Smile' on repeat. The screen was stood up, and the background was the last picture Nico took.

Nico in her hospital robes, doing her signature pose.

* * *

A/N: The final 'chapter.'

I wanted this to be a quick finish and just to see what everyone would do after Nico's passing. It's not really focused on that (besides Rin and Maki and a bit of KotoPana), and I feel that I made their futures realistic.

If you stuck around for this story, thank you. It was fun to write, despite the themes. Making this story made me love Nico more, which is writer's bias. I hope you liked it.

Thanks for Reading!


End file.
